Improvement in stocks for



A. R. BYRKIT.

Stocks for Fire-Arms.

Patented Jan. 20, 1874.

[rare/250% UNITED STATES AROHIBALD R. BYRKIT, OF FA IRFIELD,-IO\YA.

IMPROVEMENT m s'rocKs FbR FIRE-ARMS.

specification fofmingpart of Letters Patent No. 146,661, dated January 20, 1874; application filed December 30, 1873.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD R. BYRKIT, of Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Arms; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement in fire-arms, and relates more particularly to that class of double guns that have one barrel beneath the other; and the invention consists in a double gun with its stock connected to the barrels by a swiveljoint, so that the barrels may be adjusted thereon to the proper angle for firing, enabling each barrel to be fired from its own sight, as hereinafter described.

It is well known that in double guns, as heretofore constructed, with one barrel beneath the other, the lower barrel isnecessarily aimed by the sight of the uppermost one, so that in order to arrive at any degree of accuracy due allowance must be made for this fact; and in the well-known double guns which have the barrels side by side, in the same horizontal plane, they must be sighted from a point placed between the barrels, which, as is obvious, will not give that accuracy of aim necessary for rifle shooting; and if, as is sometimes the casein this class of guns, the sights are placed one on each barrel, the hammers obstruct the view and tend to destroy the accuracy of 'aim; and double guns constructed in such manner as will enable the barrels to revolve on the breech-piece are objectionable from the difficulty found to arise in making a tight joint between the barrels and the breech. Besides, in guns of this description, one of the cones is left exposed to accident at all times; since but one hammer is used for discharging both barrels, it can only cover one at a time.

To obviate the several objections to double guns above recited is the chief object of my present invention, as will be seen from the following description and accompanying drawin gs, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my gun with the reverse position of the stock in dotted lines; Fig. 2, a cross-section taken in the line a; m, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a cross-section taken in the line 51 3 Fig. 1.

Similarletters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

A A represent the upper and-lower barrels of a double gun. One of these barrels may be a rifled barrel, and the other a barrel for shot. At a suitable distance from the muzzle of each barrel are fixed sights, to a, and at or near the breech of the barrels are. secured cones b b. These cones are attached to the right side of each barrel, looking from the breech. Immediately in the rear of the breech proper, and forming part of it, is secureda breech-block, B. Within this block are affixed the locks j" for operating the hammers c c, which are placed one on each side of the breech block B:. The rear of the breech-block forms the segment of a circle. Secured to this circular side of the breechblock is a metallicfbearing, 0. That portion of the bearing which comes in contact with the breechblock is concave, and curved to the same radius as is the curved end of the breech-block, so that the one is received within the other, as shown in Fig. 1, and they are secured together in such manner as will enby able the one to turn freely within the other.

in a manner similar to what is known as a rule-joint. Within countersinks d are fitted the triggers e, and to the rear side of the, bearing 0 is secured, in any suitable manner, the stock D.

My gun being constructed substantially as above described, its operation is as follows:- When the gun is to be fired, the stock Dis depressed to an angle that will enable its butt to bear properly against the shoulder and bring the barrels'in the necessary horizontal position for firing, as shown by the solid lines in Fig. 1. It will be observed that the stock D may be thus depressed for each of the barrels. Each barrel being provided with its own hammer, the cones are protected from accident when. the hammer is down, (see Fig.

3,) and the hammers being placed on the right side of each barrel, the same as in a gun of the ordinary construction, they do not obstruct the aim.

PATENT orrron.

The proper angle at \vhivh the stock is in such manner as will :uhnitef its being :u lturned is regulated by shoulders g g on the justed to each of the barrels at the proper breech-block, against which the edge of the angle for firing the same.

he'u-ing U emnes in contact.

1 NBA] 1) 1. IXR (1". Having thus described my ll\\'0llt1ml,WhElt1 A I 1 (-hiim as new, and desire to secure by Letters \Vitnesses:

Pal-tent, is- J. A. BECK,

A double gun with the stock iheretojeinted W. U. YOUNG. 

